Child's Play
by Dr. Breifs Cat
Summary: Once there was a boy with no friends...but maybe he almost had some...almost. Kaiser-centered.


Disclaimers: I don't own Digimon, yada, yada, yada.

Disclaimers: I don't own Digimon, yada, yada, yada.

** **

**Child's Play**

On some subconscience level, he considered them to be the closest thing he had to friends, these children he played with.Not like on his soccer team, that was about impressing people and making them see how much better he was than them.Because maybe if they believed it, he would too and then life would have some sort of meaning.And he wouldn't be the one that fate cruelly _left there.And maybe if they knew he was better than them, he would be worth something._

But these children...they were almost his friends, he could almost see himself liking them, he could perhaps even care about them someday.They were not as good as him, of course, not really worthy of being his friends, which is why they weren't.They were the children he played with.They called themselves chosen, he called them a variety of unflattering names.In jest, of course.And they would pretend to get mad and their monsters would fight his monsters and they would win because he never sent out his strongest monsters.Because on some subconscience level, he was afraid he might hurt them.And if he hurt them, they wouldn't want to play with him anymore.And if they didn't want to play then he wouldn't have any friends or almost-friends.He would be alone again and he didn't want that.

Of course, he tried to convince himself he did, because no one was worthy of him.Because he was better than them.Not that he believed it, not really.He thought he did, when his defenses were 'up.'But when they were 'down,' he knew the truth.He knew no one cared about him.He knew he was a bad person.He knew people liked to use him.He knew his mother and father didn't love him.He knew the only person who ever loved him was the only person he could ever _almost hate.But never completely hate because he just loved his big brother too much.He still killed him, though.He didn't mean to, but he did._

So he was alone for a long time and hated himself for a long time, until one day he decided he was better than them.He didn't really remember what it was than brought about that revelation.He had dreams about it though, sometimes.Something about his neck...He never remembered those dreams for very long...

But he was better than them, so he hated them because hating them is easier than hating yourself and it hurts a lot less when you look in the mirror, too.

He didn't hate everything, only himself, really.He liked to play, soccer and computer games...and he liked math and problem solving a lot, he thought that was fun.His favorite computer game was the one he played with the children who called themselves chosen and were almost his friends.In that game, there were lots of monsters and he would catch the monsters and put rings on them.And then they were his monsters.He would make them do things like build his towers and fight for him.He would whip them when he got mad--it made him feel better, a good tension releaser.

He could take out all his pain on someone and no one would get hurt!He didn't want to hurt people.He knew pain better than anyone and didn't want to make someone else hurt.Leaving home was easy, no one cared that he left.But these monsters..these monsters weren't real!So he could take his pain out on them a lot and no one would get hurt and he would feel a little better.Which was good, so very good because he hurt so bad...

Anyway, the other children would try to free his monsters and take them away.He didn't like that at all.Twice, he tried to take their monsters away, see how much they liked it.An Agumon and a Patamon.They didn't learn their lesson, they kept trying to take his monsters away.

His favorite monster was a green and pink and purple one.It was called a Wormmon and he felt so silly about being so attached to a computer monster that wasn't real.So he hated his favorite monster because hating was easier than feeling so stupid for liking the thing so much.

Hating was easy.

He could make himself hate anything.

Only, the things he hated the most were the things he really loved the most and he would continue like that until he learned that he was worth something.

On some subconscious level, he knew that the green and pink and purple monster knew that.

On some subconscious level, he knew his almost-friends didn't know that and that's really why they weren't his friends, only almost.

**********************

Inoue Miyako could kick herself for being so stupid.The Chosen Children had traveled to the Digital World that day just like any other.And just like any other, they got into a battle with a slave of the Digimon Kaiser.He made his appearance, they all yelled at each other, sent their digimon to fight--Miyako had used Shurimon today, just for a change of pace--and then she and the other children won.They had a bit of extra time today so they decided to clean the battle damaged area up as best they could.Nothing they hadn't done before.

Miyako had had a particularly bad day prior to coming to the Digital World (lost her temper, made a fool of herself, was rediculed by classmates...), so in the name of self-improvment, she decided that she would be the good, caring one today.She volunteered to fetch everyone sodas from a vending machine near by, and rather ungraciously turned down Hawkmon and Hikari's offers to help her carry the drinks despite the little detail that carry ten sodas by one's self was quite a difficult task.Being the good, caring one meant that you didn't inconvenience anyone but yourself, after all.

Thus, Miyako went off, alone, her backpack emptied for can-carrying convience and after being confronted by one of the Kaiser's slaves without any protection, she could kick herself for being so stupid.She spat unflattering remarks at the poor digimon at first, then collapsed into waterfall tears and finally tried to reason with him.After all, she as a Chosen Child was only in the Digital World in the first place to help.Not a single one of her reactions make an impression on the Kaiser's slave and she was brought before him.

Despite the butterflies wreaking havoc in her stomach and the fear that she might soil herself, Miyako managed to maintain defiance in her eyes and a scowl on her face when she came face to face with the enemy.It was the first time she had been so close to him and she was a little surprised at how _unintimidaiting he was up close._

"This way," he said to the ringed digimon who had mantained a tight hold on Miyako throughout her latest ordeal.She became infuriated that the Kaiser didn't even bother speaking to her and made that quite obvious during their trek, him in front, followed closely by herself pushed along by the ringed creature.The destination the Kaiser had in mind was a room with about a dozen screens of various sizes and Miyako was rather impressed when they arrived.The Kaiser was rather pleased that he had impressed her, but it was only a passing notion, one that he even didn't bother to acknowledge.

"Here," he said to the digimon, pausing in front of one of the lower screens.The slave obeyed and ceased movement, holding Miyako in place at the designated spot.The Kaiser reached into the folds of his slitted cape, causing Miyako's breath to catch in her throat from fear.What was he getting?A dark ring..?His whip..?

His black D-3.

"Digital Gate, open," he demanded.The next thing Miyako knew, she had tumbled face first into blue carpeting.Snickering erupted from somewhere above her.Miyako raised her eyes and saw a pair of black semi-dress shoes.Craning her neck, she saw those shoes were attached to a pair of gray clad legs and in turn to a gray clad torso and finally the head of Ichijouji Ken, who was looking down at her from a standing position, his hands jammed into the pockets of his school uniform.His outfit, neat hair and haughty expression reminded Miyako of those news reports about the missing genius that she had watched so closely, usually hugging one of the couch throw pillows.

"You came back to the Real World," Miyako accused, standing up.He wasn't too much taller than her, so she was able to look him in those gorgeous eyes of his without too much trouble."Someone's going to catch you for sure."She grinned.The Kaiser had made a mistake, a big one.

"My parents," he said in a bored voice, "are not home.My father is at work and my mother always runs errands at this time of day.Be assured, there is no one here to 'catch' me."

"Great," Miyako said with a tone that clearly meant the situation was anything but.Ken took her by the elbow and roughly led her out of his room, away from the relative safety of the digital gate.__

_"You're D-3," Ken said, suddenly, ceasing the his stride and holding out his free hand._

"What..?" Miyako managed to croak.

"You're D-3," he repeated."Give it to me.Now."

"No way!" Miyako exploded.

"Look," the boy said, annoyed, "I'm a black belt in Judo.Do you really want to force me to use that knowledge?"

"Uh, you know what? No," Miyako said flatly.She found herself being shoved against the wall, the sneering face of Ichijouji Ken the only thing in her vision.He had a tight grip on her collar, enough to make his knuckles white.One hand kept a his hold on her while the other reached into the front pockets of her denim capri pants.Miyako held perfectly still with no where to go, her body held against the wall, blushing profusely.With a victorious grin, Ken was able to snatch away Miyako's D-3.

His prize claimed, the indigo-haired tyrant of another world opened the front door of the apartment that they had paused in front of and unceremoniously shoved Miyako out, slamming the it shut after her.

It dawned on Miyako that without her D-3, she had no way of returning to the Digital World.

"Hey!" she cried, beating her hands on the door."Ken!Let me in!Give it back!"

"You lost!" was the muffled reply from the other side of the door.

"Ken!" Miyako screiched, "Give it back!"Her pounding on the door increased in volume and speed.

The door opened, causing her to jump back.She hadn't expected him to listen to her.Though she was surprised no neighbors had come out of their own apartments to see what the rukus was and sadly shake their heads in pity as one of 'the Rocket's' fans took the lost a bit too hard.As for the crack betweenthe door and it's frame, the opening was not large, only about two inches or so, limited by the little chain lock.

"You know," Ken said in a soft voice that Miyako had never heard him use before, "you can always play again next game."He shrugged, something Miyako could barely see through the slight opening."Maybe we'll even be on the same team."He hadn't been on the same team with anyone since Ryo."That would be fun, wouldn't it?"He had liked being on a team, he recalled.

Miyako blinked, her expression blank and confused.Ken closed the door.

Maybe if he was on their team, the children would be his friends and not just his almost-friends.On some subconscious level, he knew he would like to be real friends with those children he played with.


End file.
